MEDIA experts heaped top praise on the charity health paper All Together NOW! at a glittering O2 awards ceremony in Manchester’s Imperial War Museum.
Judges said: “Tom Dowling’s remarkable publication maintains its dominance of a niche market with a mix of bright campaigning journalism, information and advice.
“All Together Now is the essential newspaper for anyone with a disability. It actually doesn’t matter whether you have a disability or not, the stories are bright and interesting and cover a wide range of topics.”
All Together NOW! – the region’s only publication that specifically addresses health and inequalities – was Highly Commended in the Specialist Publication of the Year category.
Since launching in 2005, the FREE newspaper has gone from strength to strength, winning a string of media and community awards and gaining admirers from all over the UK and beyond.
Every two months more than 100,000 copies are picked up from supermarkets, hospitals, and health centres.
The charity is supported by organisations that place health and equality high on their agendas and include Liverpool Community Health (NHS) Trust, Medicash, The Morgan Foundation, More Independent, Newlife Foundation, Park Group, Together Trust, the Bank Workers Charity and United Utilities.
Chancellor George Osborne announced BBC North West Tonight’s Jayne McCubbin as TV Reporter of the Year.
Granada Reports front man Mike Hall was crowned Broadcaster of the Year by ITV newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky, while Everton boss Roberto Martinez revealed Mick Coyle of Radio City as the North West’s top sports reporter.
Other special guests included veterans of World War Two, who received a fanfare from the Duke of Lancaster’s Regimental Band as they took to the stage; Sir Tom Finney’s son Brian and daughter Barbara; former Page 3 girl Lou Varley; and Emmerdale’s on-screen couple Fiona Wade and Pasha Boccarie.
With more than 350 individual entries the O2 Awards are the biggest regional press awards in the country. Capita, a UK leader in business process management and outsourcing solutions, provided additional sponsorship.
Nicola Green, Director of Communications and Reputation at O2 UK, said the judging panel were hugely impressed by the tremendous examples of community journalism across the North West.
“The O2 awards are a celebration of all that is good about regional media.”
Bob Buiaroski, Capita O2 Partnership Director, said the awards were one of the most prestigious of their type in the UK.
“The fantastic work of regional journalists across North West needs to be showcased,” he added.
